Tetryl
Encyclopedia
2,4,6-Trinitrophenylmethylnitramine commonly referred to as tetryl (C
7H
5N
5O
8) is a sensitive explosive compound used to make detonator
s and explosive booster
charges.
Tetryl is a nitramine
booster explosive, though its use has been largely superseded by RDX
. Tetryl is a sensitive secondary high explosive used as a booster, a small charge placed next to the detonator in order to propagate the detonation into the main charge.
It is a yellow crystalline solid powder material, practically insoluble in water but soluble in acetone
, benzene
and other solvents. It burns readily and is more easily detonated than TNT or ammonium picrate, being about as sensitive as picric acid
. It is detonated by friction, shock, or spark. It remains stable at all temperatures which may be encountered in storage. It is generally used in the form of pressed pellets, and has been approved as the standard bursting charge for small-caliber projectiles, since it gives much better fragmentation than TNT. It also has greater shattering ability than any other military high explosive, and must be properly protected from bullet fire. Its explosive velocity
is 23,600–23,900 feet per second. Tetryl is the basis for the service tetryl blasting caps necessary for positive detonation of TNT. A mixture of mercury fulminate and potassium chlorate
is included in the cap to insure detonation of tetryl.
/water solutions, as well as with heat. All aqueous samples expected to contain tetryl should be diluted with acetonitrile
prior to filtration
and acidified to pH < 3. All samples expected to contain tetryl should not be exposed to temperatures above room temperature. In addition, degradation products of tetryl appear as a shoulder on the 2,4,6-TNT peak. Peak heights rather than peak areas should be used when tetryl is present in concentrations that are significant relative to the concentration of 2,4,6-TNT.
and II
and later conflicts. Tetryl is usually used on its own, though can sometimes be found in compositions such as tetrytol
. Tetryl is no longer manufactured or used in the United States
, but can still be found in legacy munitions such as the M14
anti-personnel landmine.
with concentrated nitric acid
in the presence of sulfuric acid
.
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
7H
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
5N
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
5O
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
8) is a sensitive explosive compound used to make detonator
Detonator
A detonator is a device used to trigger an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common....
s and explosive booster
Explosive booster
An explosive booster acts as a bridge between a low energy explosive and a low sensitivity explosive such as TNT. It increases the explosive shockwave from an initiating explosive to the degree sufficient to detonate the secondary charge.Unlike C4 plastic explosive, not all explosives can be...
charges.
Tetryl is a nitramine
Nitroamine
Nitroamines are organic compounds that contain the nitroamino functional group, R2N-NO2. The R's are the continuation of the ring structure, see RDX. Examples of nitroamines are the explosives HMX, cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane and tetryl...
booster explosive, though its use has been largely superseded by RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
. Tetryl is a sensitive secondary high explosive used as a booster, a small charge placed next to the detonator in order to propagate the detonation into the main charge.
Chemical properties
Tetryl is a fine yellow crystalline material. When tetryl is heated, it first melts, then decomposes and explodes. It burns readily and is more easily detonated than explosive D.It is a yellow crystalline solid powder material, practically insoluble in water but soluble in acetone
Acetone
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula 2CO, a colorless, mobile, flammable liquid, the simplest example of the ketones.Acetone is miscible with water and serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically as the solvent of choice for cleaning purposes in the laboratory...
, benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
and other solvents. It burns readily and is more easily detonated than TNT or ammonium picrate, being about as sensitive as picric acid
Picric acid
Picric acid is the chemical compound formally called 2,4,6-trinitrophenol . This yellow crystalline solid is one of the most acidic phenols. Like other highly nitrated compounds such as TNT, picric acid is an explosive...
. It is detonated by friction, shock, or spark. It remains stable at all temperatures which may be encountered in storage. It is generally used in the form of pressed pellets, and has been approved as the standard bursting charge for small-caliber projectiles, since it gives much better fragmentation than TNT. It also has greater shattering ability than any other military high explosive, and must be properly protected from bullet fire. Its explosive velocity
Explosive velocity
Explosive velocity, also known as detonation velocity or velocity of detonation , is the velocity at which the shock wave front travels through a detonated explosive. The data listed for a specific substance is usually a rough prediction based upon gas behavior theory , as in practice it is...
is 23,600–23,900 feet per second. Tetryl is the basis for the service tetryl blasting caps necessary for positive detonation of TNT. A mixture of mercury fulminate and potassium chlorate
Potassium chlorate
Potassium chlorate is a compound containing potassium, chlorine and oxygen atoms, with the molecular formula KClO3. In its pure form, it is a white crystalline substance. It is the most common chlorate in industrial use...
is included in the cap to insure detonation of tetryl.
Environmental fate
The most toxic ordnance compounds, tetryl and 1,3,5-TNB, are also the most degradable. Therefore these chemicals are expected to be short-lived in nature, and environmental impacts would not be expected in areas that are not currently subject to chronic inputs of these chemicals. Tetryl decomposes rapidly in methanolMethanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
/water solutions, as well as with heat. All aqueous samples expected to contain tetryl should be diluted with acetonitrile
Acetonitrile
Acetonitrile is the chemical compound with formula . This colourless liquid is the simplest organic nitrile. It is produced mainly as a byproduct of acrylonitrile manufacture...
prior to filtration
Filtration
Filtration is commonly the mechanical or physical operation which is used for the separation of solids from fluids by interposing a medium through which only the fluid can pass...
and acidified to pH < 3. All samples expected to contain tetryl should not be exposed to temperatures above room temperature. In addition, degradation products of tetryl appear as a shoulder on the 2,4,6-TNT peak. Peak heights rather than peak areas should be used when tetryl is present in concentrations that are significant relative to the concentration of 2,4,6-TNT.
History
Tetryl was used mainly during World Wars IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and later conflicts. Tetryl is usually used on its own, though can sometimes be found in compositions such as tetrytol
Tetrytol
Tetrytol is a high explosive, comprising a mixture of Tetryl and TNT. Typically, the proportion of ingredients is approximately 70% tetryl and 30% TNT...
. Tetryl is no longer manufactured or used in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but can still be found in legacy munitions such as the M14
M14 mine
The M14 mine is a U.S. small anti-personnel land mine first deployed circa 1955. The M14 mechanism uses a belleville spring to flip a firing pin downwards into a stab detonator when pressure is applied. Once deployed, the M14 is very difficult to detect because it is a minimum metal mine, i.e. most...
anti-personnel landmine.
Production
Tetryl is produced by simply slowly mixing dimethylanilineDimethylaniline
N,N-Dimethylaniline is an organic chemical compound, a substituted derivative of aniline. It consists of a tertiary amine, featuring dimethylamino group attached to a phenyl group. This oily liquid is colourless when pure, but commercial samples are often yellow...
with concentrated nitric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...
in the presence of sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
.
Health concerns
Although tetryl is among the most toxic explosive compounds, it is very short lived. This combined with the fact that the health impacts of this compound are largely unstudied, not much is known about any health problems that this compound may cause.External links
- Tetryl, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease RegistryAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease RegistryThe Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is a federal public health agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The agency focuses on minimizing human health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances...
- Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Tetryl, Occupational Safety & Health Administration